


Where Angels Tread

by cordeliadelayne



Series: Snupin Santa [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Afterlife, Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Character Death, Crack, F/M, Getting Together, Heaven, Humour, M/M, Ridiculousness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-12
Updated: 2015-09-12
Packaged: 2018-04-20 08:07:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4780043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cordeliadelayne/pseuds/cordeliadelayne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Snape and Lupin decide that the Afterlife isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Until they realise they can control their own destiny after all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ednama](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=ednama).



> Originally written for ednama as a Snupin Santa gift in 2007. I followed the basic premise of ednama’s prompt fairly closely – Snape and Lupin having to deal with a Heaven neither of them expected. It therefore takes place directly after the events of Deathly Hallows, and as such focuses on character death. Sort of.

The first thing Severus Snape noticed when he woke up was that he was missing something. Something very important. He tried to think what that could be but the nagging feeling just wouldn't leave him. He tried to move and groaned softly, which only exacerbated the pain in his neck. He then proceeded to pat himself down, checking for injuries.

"Ah ha! No clothes. That's what I'm missing!" Satisfied that he had solved the mystery he once more tried to sit up. Doing so caused some significant discomfort but he was gradually able to pull himself to a sitting position, which allowed him to further examine his body.

"Oh, buggering hell," he muttered, staring down at himself.

+++++

The first thing Remus Lupin noticed when he woke up was that he was missing something. Something very important. He tried to think what that could be but the nagging feeling just wouldn't leave him. But moving seemed too much of an effort when soft hands were stroking his hair and he was leaning on such a warm chest.

"Remus, love, time to wake up."

Remus knew that voice. He was sure he did. There was something very important he meant to do and that voice was part of it. If only he could remember...

"Remus, come on, wake up for me. It's Dora."

Remus' eyes flew open. Tonks. But she'd...he'd _seen_ her...

"Dora? You're dead."

"I'm not the only one," she replied, kissing him on his forehead. _She's not the only...oh._ Remus began to sit up which is when he noticed two things. One, that he was completely naked and two that he was missing something, something extremely important.

"Oh, buggering hell."


	2. Chapter 2

Snape walked along the waters edge, sighed, and then sat down. There didn't seem to be anyone about, which was a blessing because he was still naked. And there didn't seem to be any way of finding clothes. The place was deathly quiet with the lake the only feature for miles. Snape had a good idea of where he was, but no one was around to confirm his hypothesis and he hated making guesses without actual facts. He supposed there was nothing to do, but wait.

After what could have been five hours or even five minutes, Snape grew bored. This was in itself a rarity. He was never bored. He always had some project to work on, some potion to create. But now there was nothing. Nothing but this sodding lake. Hang on...

No sooner had the thought of a bookshelf full of potion texts entered his head, one such item appeared next to his right hand.

"Interesting." He concentrated and then a smouldering cauldron appeared before him.

"Trust you to think of that," an all too familiar voice announced from behind him. He froze. Dammit.

"I'm in Hell, aren't I?" He twirled around, which wasn't half as intimidating as it used to be seeing as he was still gloriously naked.

"Quite the opposite, actually," James Potter informed him. "It's good to see you, Severus."

"I doubt that very much," Snape replied; James, he noticed, was wearing clothes.

"If it weren't for you Harry would be dead. It means a lot. And all you have to do is think about..."

Snape got the idea and before James could finish the sentence he had conjured up and was ensconced in his familiar black robes.

"Typical," James smirked with what Snape thought he recognised as fondness.

"What are you doing here?" Snape asked.

"I'm your guide," James replied with an ironic smile.

"My guide?" Snape spluttered. "Why you?"

"Gryffindor's are guides, Hufflepuffs provide companionship and Ravenclaws answer questions." James repeated it as if he'd said it many times before, and that he still enjoyed it.

Snape's eyes narrowed dangerously. "And where do the Slytherin's come in all this?"

"You're the first I've heard of," James replied, bouncing on his toes. "Come on, I've lots to show you." And with a flick of his hand Snape's carefully constructed world vanished until they were standing in a stark white corridor that made Snape's eyes hurt.

"Where are we going?"

"All will be revealed in time."

Snape gritted his teeth. It was just this sort of inanity he'd been hoping to avoid in the Afterlife. The fact that he had to spend his time with _Potter, James_ was only made bearable by the thought that he'd also get to see Lily...Oh god, and Sirius.

James turned to him, amused, as Snape groaned out loud. "Better warn you, guides can read your mind."

Snape blanched. He tried to put up his usual mental guards, but found that he couldn't.

"Doesn't work up here, mate."

Snape stopped and stared. He was definitely in Hell.

"No, you're not. This is really Heaven, Severus. Your reward for all your handwork."

"This? This is my reward?" Snape looked around. He tried to make a potions workroom appear, but felt rather than saw James overrule him. Instead this static corridor remained, but now doors appeared within the wall.

"No," James replied, with what Snape could only describe as a sanctimonious smile on his face. "This is your reward."

All of the doors flung open with a trumpet fanfare. Snape looked around but he couldn't see the source of the music. Disheartened now more than ever he stepped nearer to the first door and peered inside. "Oh, Merlin."

The room he was staring into was packed full of Hufflepuffs - Cedric Diggory was there, as was that dreadful boy Summers, and what was his name, Caldwell? No one of any importance anyway. They were all staring towards him eagerly, hair cropped to apparent regulation length and with a lack of familiar curves it was only possible to really distinguish those he'd met recently. Everyone else was just occupying space.

"What is this?" Snape demanded, "the annual meeting of the weak-willed club?"

James chuckled. "Come on Severus, don't be harsh. It can be a lonely existence here. A companion will help you pass the time. I know not everyone is lucky enough to have someone as special as Lily in their life."

"I didn't need _companionship_ ," he spat the word contemptuously, "in life, I certainly do not need it in death."

James only smiled which made Snape all the madder. "These are the rules, Severus, we all have to abide by them."

"And if we don't?"

James shrugged. "That's something you'd have to ask a Ravenclaw. Come on, let me show you your bed."

Snape scowled but followed James to the last bed in what looked like a typically depressing hospital ward. A _Muggle_ hospital. James patted the bed but Snape preferred to stand.

"You're going to have to lose some of that prickliness if you want to fit in here, mate. No room for that kind of thing."

Snape's scowl deepened and he thought something very hard which made James blush.

"Right, well. I'll just leave you to it now then. I have to greet the next person and get them settled. Not enough of us to go round at the minute."

James turned to go but Snape stopped him by clutching at his arm, surprised that he was actually able to touch the other man. "Just tell me. Did we win?"

James' smile was genuine and lit up the room. Snape marginally released his grip from his arm. "Yeah, Harry finished Voldemort off. It was a close thing, but he did it. Had a bit of help, mind. But I wouldn't expect old snake eyes to pop up here any time."

Snape nodded, grateful that his sacrifices in life had evidently been worth it. If only he could work out whether his sacrifices in the afterlife where going to make up for it.


	3. Chapter 3

It didn't take Lupin long to remember what he'd meant to tell Dora... _Tonks_ , before they'd died. He'd had a Great Big Speech all worked out.

> "Dora, I value your friendship and I am more than willing to take an active role in Teddy's life. I never imagined I would have children, and Teddy is truly a gift that I don't want to turn my back on. My life has been full of hardships that I have never been able to make you understand fully, no, please, don't interrupt. I don't feel I can burden you with my worries, my regrets. Love cannot conquer all, nor would I wish it to. I love you as a friend, as a companion, but I am simply not _in_ love with you, and no matter your own inclinations, this will not change. You deserve a nice young man who will look after you, cherish you, and be a decent role model for our son. Goodbye."

Of course, events had prevented him from pouring out his heart and he hadn't thought he'd be able to deliver the speech that he had so carefully performed in front of the bathroom mirror each morning. A glimmer of hope had flickered in his eyes on seeing Tonks, the first Tonks at least, but then things had rapidly gone downhill.

For one thing, not only was he naked (as was Tonks but he didn't care about that) but he also seemed to be missing his genitals. He couldn't remember them being removed during the Battle of Hogwarts, nor why during the battle he would have felt the need to remove his clothes, but he looked about him all the same to see if he could spot them with some vague idea about sticking them back on. It was while he was doing this that he finally took a good look at Tonks. He'd observed, in a vague, off-hand sort of way that she was without clothes, but what he only just realised was that she was also sans breasts and vagina. So startled was he that he actually lent out his arm to touch where he remembered her vagina belonged only to recollect himself, his hand hovering mid-way.

If that hadn't been enough, the arrival of the second Tonks was enough to send him round the bend. He covered his eyes with his hands, then peeked through his fingers.

"Don't worry love, this is just 2ndTonks. She's here to help out, with the cooking and things."

"Right. Um, do we need to eat?"

"Not really," 2ndTonks cheerfully replied. "But it often makes new arrivals feel better."

"And you're Tonks too?"

"Of course. This is what you want, isn't it, to be with me? So much easier this way," 3rdTonks told him as she too appeared out of nowhere. Lupin thought the exact opposite but didn't know how to say so. 4thTonks appeared next to him, and began running soothing fingers through his hair.

This wasn't Heaven, it was Hell.


	4. Chapter 4

Severus Snape was bored. He'd never been so bored in his life, death, afterlife, whatever the hell excuse for existence this was. Whenever he remembered that this was supposed to be his reward for services rendered, Dumbledore's twinkling eyes filled his mind's eye unbidden and the sickly smell of lemons filled his nostrils.

His "companion" was sitting on his bed, swinging his legs in a bid to keep Snape "company". Snape had brought out his most vitriolic insults to bear but they had had no effect. They seldom did on Hufflepuffs. All his companion wanted to do was talk which, with no genitals, wouldn't even lead to a decent shag.

"I can't take much more of this." His companion ignored him. And what good was a companion if they failed to commiserate with you?

Snape began pacing up and down by his bed, testing how far he could go. If only there was some way he could leave this room. He had always favoured cleanliness and order, without it his potions would have been disastrous, not to mention deadly, but this sterility was heavy on his shoulders. He had hoped, in the few moments that he had given each week to entertaining such desires, that the Afterlife would have been a period of quiet and reflection. Or at the very least an opportunity to indulge in his more detailed fantasies. Most of which focused on a toned Remus Lupin doing wicked things with his tongue, after having forgiven Snape for everything. But he never dwelled on them for too long. He had too many other things to occupy his time. But what he definitely wanted right now was some honesty. He'd wrapped himself in deceit so long that he'd have welcomed a reprieve. Instead he felt like he was being forced to live yet another lie.

His pacing became more and more furious as all the wrongs that had been done him began to pile one atop the other until his skin fairly itched from the tension. If no orgasm was going to be forthcoming to offer relief than there was only one other way he knew that was guaranteed to help. So with a calculated snarl he turned towards the wall and punched it, hard. He expected some pain, naturally, but there was none. Instead there was a hole in the wall that he could easily step through. So he did.

No alarms were triggered. No one shouted at him or attempted to follow him. It was all most peculiar but Snape was willing to take any chances he could. He certainly felt a little freer. Well, a little less tense at least. The only decision he had to make now was where to go. There didn't seem to be a whole lot of options. He couldn't go back and there was a large wall either side of him that he couldn't see over. He could try punching a few holes through them as well, but with the way straight ahead clear he didn't want to tempt fate.

So he walked forward. He'd soon learned that time had no meaning here so he couldn't begin to guess how long he'd been wandering when he came across a gate. It didn't seem to be attached to anything in particular, just hovering slightly off the ground, so Snape stepped through. He was loath to admit it, even to himself, but now that he'd been out of his companion's presence he was beginning to feel lonely.

That was of course, until he bumped into Nymphadora Lupin.


	5. Chapter 5

"Snape!"

"Mrs Lupin," Snape snarled. If there was yet more reason to believe that this was his personal hell, then this was it. Face to face with the woman who had everything he wanted, the man he...no, he squashed that thought quickly.

"What are you doing here?" Before Snape could answer Tonks had hugged him. Never had he felt happier that he'd mastered the art of clothing himself. As far as he was concerned women should be admired from afar, not have their bodies thrust upon him. And certainly not when they were naked.

"Dora?" An all too familiar voiced called out. "Are you all..."

Snape forced his face into a sneer, although that was far from representing his feelings. Lupin was standing before him, in all his naked glory. Even without genitals he had a surprisingly desirable figure. Not that Snape had spent long wondering what it would be like to trail his tongue down...

Tonks drawing back hurriedly startled Snape's thoughts on to far less interesting subjects as Tonks wagged a finger at him and then glared accusingly at Lupin. Snape blinked rapidly as two more Tonks' appeared on the horizon.

"One not enough for you Lupin?"

"An abundance of riches," Lupin replied. Snape frowned. Could he detect a hint of sarcasm there?

"And your guide?" Snape asked, looking around.

"Right here." Lupin pointed at the nearest Tonks, not understanding Snape's question. All of the Tonks' were looking worried. Snape considered the situation carefully.

"She's not a Gryffindor." Lupin frowned at this apparent non sequitur.

"This isn't any of your business, Professor. Remus and I are perfectly happy together."

"Really?" Snape's voice dropped to a low purr. "That's why you need so many versions of yourself, is it? Not because you're worried that he'll leave you as soon as he learns you've been lying to him? That doesn't strike me as a healthy relationship. But then you've always wanted to control him. That's why you haven't told him he can clothe himself if he wants..." Lupin gratefully did so now and Snape rolled his eyes in disgust as Lupin settled on familiar brown tweed, slightly frayed at the edges. "Any clothes he wants..." Lupin stuck out his tongue and Snape could feel the heat rising to his cheeks. He was trying to project an air of superiority, _not_ to be thinking about where Lupin would be better employed putting that tongue.

Tonks wrinkled up her nose in disgust. Evidently some of his true feelings had been apparent on his face. Damn it. "You don't really fancy Remus?"

Snape gave his best "scare-the-First-Years" glare but Tonks was unrepentant.

"Like he'd ever give you a second thought," 2nd Tonks hissed, but 3rd and 4th Tonks were looking a bit more thoughtful.

"I didn't realise you cared, Severus. Forcing me out of the job I loved hardly seems like an act of love."

"Love? You have no idea what love is, you mangy wolf. And if it hasn't penetrated that wool-filled head of yours yet, the job was cursed. If I hadn't revealed your true nature to the Slytherins' you'd be dead by now." Snape suddenly stopped speaking; none of that mattered now they _were_ dead.

Lupin inclined his head to one side and his eyes flashed golden. With very deliberate movements he stalked Snape until Snape's back hit a tree and he had nowhere else to go. Snape's hands reflexively spasmed as they tried to grip a wand that wasn't there; he was defenceless and Remus had never seemed so enticing.

The original Tonks, all but forgotten now, sat forlornly on the grass. Then, with a quick shake of the head, which turned her hair from the mousy brown she had been favouring to a shocking pink, she stood up and dressed herself. She was soon wearing jeans, boots, a Weird Sisters T-shirt and a biker jacket. She nodded at the other Tonks' and they all began to merge with her.

"I'm going to visit Sirius, and then look up my Dad," she told the two men, not sure if they could hear her. Remus had never looked at _her_ like that, and the tension between the two men that she had always put down to Snape's hatred, could have a different meaning entirely, she conceded. And where better for them to find each other than here? "Good luck". She waved at their backs. Remus had told her and told her and told her that they weren't meant to be together and she'd refused to listen. Their sex had been perfunctory at best, and she'd wondered at times if he knew that nipples weren't dials to be fiddled with. Too stubborn for her own good as her gran used to say. But Remus wasn't the only one who deserved happiness and maybe now she could find someone who wanted to be with her. She deserved that much, surely? And there was that cute boy in Ravenclaw that used to let her copy his homework. She bet he was here. So with a renewed outlook on her death she was willing to leave Snape and Lupin staring at each other as if they were the only two people in the Afterlife.


	6. Chapter 6

Snape was the first to blink, though aeons later he would deny any such thing. But he did. He was rewarded by a smile from Lupin and then Lupin used the tongue that Snape had so often fantasised about to lick a path up his neck before lightly biting him, careful not to break the skin, even though he doubted it would matter much up here. Snape closed his eyes for a moment and then sighed. He didn't sound particularly aroused so Remus took a step back.

"Are you all right? Usually people love it when I do that."

"Really? How delightful." Sarcasm dripped from every pore. "If only I had known what a lothario you are I would have responded more forcefully."

Remus refused to be baited, waiting patiently for Snape to continue.

Snape cleared his throat, and winced. It may have all been in his mind but as far as he was concerned his neck still ached. Bloody snake.

Remus leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "What's wrong?"

"I can't...I can't feel anything." He waved at himself. "I know I should. But I don't."

Lupin frowned. Now that Snape had mentioned it, he realised that he wasn't feeling anything stirring either. "Not surprising, since we haven't got anything to stir," Lupin continued out loud. Snape looked at him as if he'd grown another head.

"If we can't have sex, what is the point?"

Lupin looked bemused, rather than the distressed Snape had been aiming for. "This from the man who's been pining after Lily since we were children?"

"How did you..." Snape's eyes glittered dangerously. "You've been reading my mind, haven't you?"

"Only a little," Remus shrugged. "It only started when you arrived."

"Of course. Merlin forbid a Gryffindor should be restricted from prying into my most private thoughts. You're nothing but a bunch of meddling..."

But before Snape could dream up any more insults Lupin kissed him. And this he definitely felt, right down to his toes. Snape pulled Lupin closer to him, their bodies rubbing together. It didn't create the kind of friction they were used to but it did give them the connection they'd been aiming for. They fell to the floor in a tangle of limbs but kept on kissing until they began to feel so tired that they could hardly keep their eyes open. Not having to breathe certainly had its advantages.

"I didn't think we could get tired," Lupin murmured conversationally, reaching out and distractedly undoing the buttons on Snape's robe. Always a traditionalist, Snape was wearing nothing underneath but black boxer shorts.

"I'm not sure there are any rules up here," Snape replied. He closed his eyes and imagined he could smell the grass they were lying on. "Or at least not ones that make sense to any but a Gryffindor's addled mind."

Lupin ignored the taunt. He was thinking. "A bed would really come in useful right now." Snape murmured his agreement. "A house to put it in, with a garden, would be even better." Snape opened his eyes.

"And a basement large enough for a potions laboratory."

"And enough room for guests," Lupin added to Snape's evident disgust.

They waited expectantly. One. Two. Three. Nothing happened. Both disappointed, though only Lupin let it show on his face, they helped each other up and turned around. Only to find themselves staring at the most perfect house either of them had ever seen.

The garden was just the right size. The flowers and herbs exactly the right kind. Walking inside they discovered rooms that fitted specifications they didn't know they'd had, furniture and belongings that completed a décor they knew they'd both be happy with. And if they both detected a hint of lemon neither of them said anything.

By silent accord they walked upstairs and headed for the bedroom. A sumptuous four-poster bed awaited them.

"Are you're sure you'll be...happy...with me without..." Snape tried to ask.

"Yes, of course I will," Lupin replied. "But I don't think we're going to need to find out. Strip and lie on the bed."

Snape did just that, easily acquiescing to the commanding tone in Lupin's voice before putting on a mock show of protest. Lupin was trying to maintain a completely straight face and also trying not to find out what Snape was thinking. He didn't want their relationship to be unbalanced from the outset.

As Snape stripped and laid down on his back on the bed Lupin removed his clothing. And thought very hard about Snape's penis. How he imagined it would look, taste like, feel like. How he'd use it. How he wanted to be used by it. Then he crouched on to the bed between Snape's legs and stared very hard at his crotch.

"You know," Lupin mused, "I think we're going to be very happy here."

Snape, whose eyes had drifted closed, jerked upwards as a tingling sensation flooded his body. He opened his eyes to see that both his and Lupin's genitals were back where they belonged.

Lupin grinned then began licking his way up Snape's thigh. "Yes," Snape groaned, "I think we'll be very happy indeed."

And they were.


End file.
